Witherod viburnum is a dense, 6-12 ft., deciduousshrub with upright stems becoming arching with age. Flat-topped clusters of white flowers are followed by colorful summer fruit which changes from iridescent pink to red; then becomes blue in late summer before turning black. Sometimes all these colors are present in the same fruiting cluster. The fall foliage is also variable and always colorful.

This is one of several relatively similar Viburnum species with edible fruit. Blackhaw (V. prunifolium) is more tree-like, growing to 20 feet (6 m) high, with finely toothed,oval leaves and many short twiggy branches borne at right angles to the stem. Nannyberry (V. lentago) is a shrub or tree growing to 30 feet (9 m) high, with long, tapering leaf tips and winged petioles.